Con Artist
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Threats of the Galaxy Affiliations: The Fringe A sucker is born every minute, which is just the way the Con Artist likes it. By defrauding, deceiving, and lying to their marks, a Con Artist survives by tricking naive rubes out of their hard-earned credits. Most Con Artists are small-time crooks. These individuals might sell fraudulent goods, peddling junk that they try to pass off as the next big thing. They deal in stolen goods, rubbish, lies, and just about anything else they think they can sell. Although many Con Artists prefer a quick turnaround- they meet a mark, deceive that target, take the credits, and disappear all within a few minutes- the dangerous Con Artists are the ones who play the long con. These experienced grifters pick a mark and set up an elaborate cover meant to play to the mark's expectations. Once they have gained their target's confidence, they pull off the crime, usually walking away with a considerable fortune. Con Artist Encounters Most brushes with a Con Artist wind up being irritating setbacks, minor annoyances that impart a valuable lesson: Trust no one you don't know. It's a big galaxy, after all, and people need to make need to make a living even if it's shady means. In time (And perhaps after not too many lost credits), the heroes will know how to spot these tricksters and steer clear of them. The problem is that only the least talented Con Artists try the same trick repeatedly. The real slick types are the ones who know every game in the book, who are comfortable setting up long and elaborate cons that leave the characters scratching their heads in wonder about what just happened to them. Common Con Artists work alone or in small groups, since dividing up the spoils leaves little for the crew when the stakes are not great in the first place. The long Com Artists work in larger teams, with each member playing a particular part in the deception to guide their victim in the direction they want. Often, these teams feature individuals who have differing talents, including Technicians and traders, but these crews could include just about anyone. Con Artists prefer to avoid violent encounters and thus are careful about the victims they select. They don't usually keep company with Thugs and Brutes, since these folks lack the finesse and subtlety needed for their profession. Instead, Con Artists protect themselves with blackmail and threats, or better still, by leaving the victim so befuddled that they have no idea what just happened. Con Artist Statistics (CL 3) Medium Nonheroic 3/Scoundrel 2 Force Points: 1; Dark Side Score: 1 Initiative: '+8; '''Senses: 'Perception: +2 'Languages: '''Basic, 2 Unassigned Defenses Reflex Defense: 15 (Flat-Footed: 14), Fortitude Defense: 11, Will Defense: 13 Hit Points: 11, Damage Threshold: 11 Offense '''Speed: '''6 Squares '''Melee: 'Knife +2 (1d4) 'Ranged: 'Hold-Out Blaster Pistol +4 (3d4+1) '''Base Attack Bonus: +3, Grab: '+4 '''Attack Options: 'Melee Defense, Point-Blank Shot '''Special Actions: Disruptive Base Stats Abilities: 'Strength 8, Dexterity 12, Constitution 9, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 10, Charisma 12 'Talents: Disruptive 'Feats: 'Melee Defense, Point-Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Deception), Skill Focus (Persuasion), Skill Training (Initiative), Weapon Proficiency (Pistols), Weapon Proficiency (Simple Weapons) 'Skills: 'Deception +13, Gather Information +8, Initiative +8, Persuasion +13 'Possessions: 'Knife, Hold-Out Blaster Pistol, Code Cylinder (Cheater), Holster (Concealed), Credit Chip (200 credits) Category:Variable